Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir: A Seasoned Politician and Scholar

-Dr. Ravindra Kumar   

“Cordial -hearted lives well always. The one who engages himself in righteous deeds and makes laughter a part of his life simultaneously, he makes it precious.” –Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir

Gyani Gurmukh Singh Musafir was one among those prominent figures who emerged on the socio-political scene of Punjab in the Gandhian era of India’s freedom movement. Besides being a leading freedom fighter, Musafir was a seasoned politician, an eminent Punjabi writer, scholar, poet and an orator. He could be listed as a known face combining the Congress-Akali politics in Punjab.          

Born on January 15, 1899 in a Sikh family of village Adhval in Campbellpur District, Punjab [now in Pakistan] Gurmukh Singh, after completing primary studies in his native village itself, was sent to Rawalpindi by his father Bhai Bhagat Singh for secondary level of education. Soon after his matriculation in 1918, he was appointed as a teacher in the Khalsa High School of Kallar [Kahar] in Chatwal Distict. He earned the epithet Giani after he passed an exam by this name.             

It was during his stint as a teacher at Kallar that two incidents of extreme atrocities and cruelties of the Colonial Government took place in Amritsar on April 13, 1919 and in Nankana Saheb on February 20, 1921, respectively. In both the incidents people agitating peacefully were subjected to murderous assaults. Gurumukh Singh Musafir could not remain a mute spectator to these acts of injustice; he quit his job and entered public life. He was in the forefront of the famous Guru ka Bagh Agitation in 1922. It was also in this year that he started composing poems imbued with enthusiasm and nationalism. These poems inspired many to join the freedom struggle. He is also credited with bringing in a new style in Punjabi poetry. His lines on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre reveal his pain for the tragedy:

“Tat tar goli chali wang holi,

Hoya khun da harh ravan ethe

Haddi walam te jussa dwat bania

Likehia khun sang baith paiman the”

[Meaning thereby: The firing started like Holi and there ran the flood of blood, with bone as pen and body as ink pot the pledge was written with blood] 

Giani Gurumukh Singh Musafir was a spirited freedom fighter who was very involved in the freedom struggle in as many aspects as he could. It was in fact this dedication and sincerity that propelled him to be one of the prominent leaders of the time. It was these qualities that helped him grace the highest religious chair in Sikhism –the Jathedar of Akal Takht. He was also appointed as the General Secretary of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee.

He also participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement, started by Gandhiji in 1930, the Individual Satyagraha [1940-41] and the Quit India Movement [1942]. He courted arrest on various occasions and was sentenced to prolonged imprisonment each time. While in jail for his involvement in the Quit India Movement, he received the news of death of his father, one of his sons and a daughter. Despite facing such tragedies, he refused to be released on parole. Such was the spirit of Giani Gurumukh Singh.   

Gyani Gurumukh Singh Musafir became a close friend of Jawaharlal Nehru after meeting him during the freedom movement of the country and they remained friends for a long. After independence, he was elected as the President of the Punjab PCC, a Member of the CWC and also to Lok Sabha in 1952, 57 and 62 respectively, and to Rajya Sabha in 1968. For a short period [1966, November 1-1967, March 8] he also occupied the office of the Chief Minister of the State of Punjab. While holding all these positions Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir worked for the welfare of common men. Moreover, harmony, unity and secularism were the foremost basis of his approach and work.

Along with nine volumes of collections of his poems, he published four biographical works –two each on Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru respectively. As a scholar and writer he participated in the International Writers’ Conferences in Stockholm, Sweden [1954] and Tokyo, Japan [1961].

Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir died in Delhi on January 18, 1976 at the age of 76. In recognition to his noteworthy national services, the President of India conferred the Padma Vibhushan honour on him posthumously.         

Sardul Singh Caveeshar: A Leading Freedom Fighter and Prolific Writer

–Dr. Ravindra Kumar

 “Service is the most precious adornment of life. It is the essence of life. Life can be made worthy and purposeful only by serving the people. Till the last breath we must keep ourselves ready to serve the people…there is no other substitute to selfless service.”        -Sardul Singh Caveeshar

 Sardul Singh Caveeshar was one of the leading freedom fighters of the Gandhian era of national liberation movement from Punjab. He was a prolific writer, thinker, political leader, journalist, editor and a nationalist. For his great services rendered to the nation, and his radical-progressive views, he will be remembered by the countrymen for a long.

Sardul Singh was born in 1886 in a middle class Sikh family of Amritsar. After completing his primary and secondary levels of education, he graduated from the Punjab University, Lahore in 1909. His father Sardar Kripal Singh desired him to pursue higher studies, but Sardul Singh quit the college in 1919 while studying for post graduation, to participate in the freedom movement.

An incident that in fact brought him to the forefront was the agitation against British over demolition of an outer wall of Gurudwara Rikabganj of Delhi. Acting upon his call hundreds of volunteers marched to the site, but before they could assemble, the British rebuilt the wall. In 1913 he started the publication of The Sikh Review –a magazine from Delhi, which drew the attention of many –general and particular. The magazine carried articles against the Colonial Rule and promoted nationalism. The authorities in Delhi did not take this kindly and regarding it as a challenge for the Colonial Government not only banned it immediately, but also declared the activities of Sardul Singh as objectionable and expelled him from the City. Caveeshar then started publication of The New Herald and the Sangat –two new magazines in English and Punjabi languages from Lahore in the year 1919. Again the contents of both the magazines were scathing attacks on the British.

In 1921 Sardul Singh was elected as a secretary of the Punjab Prantik Congress Committee. It was in this year that the British killed many farmers who were agitating against the English in Nankana Saheb. Sardul Singh fiercely commented on this massacre through his articles. For this, he was arrested and imprisoned for a period of four years.

In 1927 Sardul Singh was elected to the Working Committee of the Indian National Congress. He was again in the forefront of the non-violent battle for country’s freedom under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, particularly during the Civil Disobedience Movement, started by the Mahatma by the breaking of the Salt Law at Dandi on April 6, 1930. He led the Congress as its acting president during 1932-33; for this too he was arrested four times and was sent to prisons for years.

Disagreeing to the Congress policy of accepting the offices of governments in provinces under the provision of the Government of India Act 1935, Sardul Singh Caveeshar resigned from the Party and joined the Forward Block founded by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939. All this while he continued to stay in the forefront of the battle of country’s independence and for a period of more than four years [1941-45] he was imprisoned again.   

Caveeshar was a prolific and progressive writer. His works, Guru Nanak and World Peace, Guru Gobind Singh and National Movement, Guru Arjun’s Twelve Months of Love and Worship, Republicanism in Religion, The City of Joy, The Problem of Life, India’s Fight for Freedom and Non-Violent Non-Cooperation are particularly worth mention here. His works still inspire to those who long for creative writing, nationalism and service to humanity. This great soldier of India’s battle for freedom breathed his last in Delhi on March 26, 1963.

Sardul Singh Caveeshar always lived for the nation and to serve the people of the country remained the prime aim of his life. His following statetemet fills us with enthusiasm and encourages simultaneously working for the nation:

“Fortunate are they who live and die while serving and defending their motherland; blessed are they who wish to serve the people till the last breath…”     

Gandhi: Democracy and Fundamental Rights

By

Dr. Ravindra Kumar & Dr. Kiran Lata Dangwal

“I understand democracy as something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong.” –MK Gandhi

Introduction: All those who are familiar with the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi or those who understand his philosophy, they very well know that he was an anarchist. He was for such a stateless society in which life becomes perfect. People, without any prejudice, never become hindrance to one-other’s routines. Moreover, self-regulation, self-dependency and mutual cooperation on priority become essential in day-to-day human practices. For Gandhi, the institution like the State or the system like democracy cannot be the final ideal. These institutions are based on political power, therefore, they can only be the means of enabling people to better their condition at different levels in different walks of life, but cannot lead human beings to achieve the goal of life. In this regard he clearly wrote in Young India on July 2, 1931, “To me political power is not an end but one of the means of enabling people to better their condition in every department of life. Political power means capacity to regulate national life through national representatives. If national life becomes so perfect as to become self-regulated, no representation becomes necessary. There is then a state of enlightened anarchy. In such a State everyone is his own master. He rules himself in such a manner that he is never a hindrance to his neighbour. In the ideal State, therefore, there is no political power because there is no State. But the ideal is never fully realized in life. Hence the classical statement of Thoreau that the government is best which governs the least –is worthy of consideration.” 

It is clear that even being an astute anarchist and introducer of Ahimsa-based stateless society to the world, Mahatma Gandhi was himself not sure of transformation of his ideas into a reality. Simultaneously, creating an atmosphere of such morality and ethics on the basis of which everybody could develop in him a high degree of intellect never seemed an easy task to him. Then, what could be the alternative? In this context he was quite clear, which could be observed from his support and advocacy for democracy. Accepting democracy to be a great institution, he never asked for its avoidance. Rather, he laid a great stress on decreasing of possibility of its misuse. Democracy, despite being a manmade institution and therefore likely to be misused, if works to the maximum possible extent on the basis of Ahimsa, it can prepare people to self-control, self-dependency and mutual cooperation. In Gandhi’s own words, “There is no human institution but has its dangers. The greater the institution the greater the chances of abuse. Democracy is a great institution and therefore it is liable to be greatly abused. The remedy, therefore, is not avoidance of democracy but reduction of possibility of abuse to a minimum.”  [Young India, May 7, 1931]

Not only this, in a country of diversities like India, which has a long history of harmony  of different ideas and has always accorded honour to others’ views, and where forbearance and tolerance have been in the root of solution of inevitable day-to-day conflicts, disputes or struggles, only democracy could work successfully. Furthermore, history of democracy in India goes to the remote past. Perhaps it is India where for the first time democracy started functioning. Those who are acquainted with exemplary and unique traditions of India, they know that since ancient times problems, disputes and conflicts have been resolved here either on the basis of direct dialogue between the parties involved, or by Panch Nirnay [arbitration], which is one of the best democratic methods of transforming conflicts. That is why; Mahatma Gandhi, instead of denying democracy, wished its constant development on the basis of high human values including morality so that it could pave the way for a stateless society at the global level. He in one way or the other considered democracy to be essential as the first phase for transforming more or less his dream of stateless system into the reality. He wished the beginning of this work from India, and also desired India to become ideal for the whole world in this regard.

Undoubtedly, freedom and justice had been the two basic pillars of democracy of Mahatma Gandhi’s imagination. He saw the welfare of all, general and particular, in a democracy where equal freedom and justice are available. Particularly, he laid great stress on individual freedom in democracy as is evident from his following statement, “…if individual liberty goes, then surely all is lost, for, if the individual ceases to count, what is left of society? Individual freedom also can make a man voluntarily surrender himself completely to the service of society. If it is wrested from him, he becomes automation and society is ruined. No society can possibly be built on denial of individual freedom…” [Kumar, Gandhi and Gandhism, page 19]   

Similarly, it is justice that along with freedom proves adaptability, significance and success of a democracy. To quote the Mahatma, “The spirit of democracy is not a mechanical thing to be adjusted by abolition of forms. It requires change of heart.”

 Particularly, in a democratic country like India the importance and inevitability of social justice cannot be minimized. It is especially for the reason that social justice is one of the main problems of India. Hundreds of thousands of people are still in want of social justice. Consequently, they suffer in political, economic and intellectual spheres. Hence, Mahatma Gandhi laid a great stress on decentralization of power so that participation of each and everyone in political and economic fields could ascertain. Moreover, on the strength of this participation common men could also enjoy a standard of living, and along with intellectual growth they could find a way to achieve equality in society. To quote Gandhi himself, “Democracy is an impossible thing until the power is shared by all…Even  a pariah, a labourer, who makes it possible for you to earn your living, will have his share in self-government –Swarajya or democracy.” [Young India, December 1, 1927]

Not only is this, Gandhi’s theory of Trusteeship is also a firm step towards establishing social justice. Through it, he wished for healthy social relations among men and on the basis of them desired ending differences between owners and servants. He wished bringing wealth and properties into the domain of Trusteeship with the sole purpose of self-sufficiency of each and everyone by ascertaining supply of essential commodities. For social justice, self-sufficiency plays the vital role; for, it is inevitable. In this regard, going beyond the territorial limits of India, Mahatma Gandhi went to the extent of saying, “According to me the economic constitution of India, and for that matter of the world, should be such that no one under it should suffer from want of food and clothing. In other words everybody should be able to get sufficient work to enable him to make two ends meet. And this ideal can be universally realized only if the means of production of the elementary necessities of life remain in the control of the masses. They should be freely available to all as God’s air and water are or ought to be. Their monopolization by any country, nation or group of persons would be unjust. The neglect of this simple principle is the cause of the destitution that we witness today not only in this happy land [India], but in other parts of the world too.” [Kumar, Theory and Practice of Gandhian Non-Violence, page 100]

Fundamental Rights: Along with freedom and justice, the third most important thing, which requires special mention in context of Gandhi’s views on democracy, relates to fundamental rights of citizens. As known to us, Gandhi always by laying great stress on morality and ethics in individual and social life –both, and calling on people to make Ahimsa the centre of their day-to-day activities, spoke of duties time and again. Undoubtedly, he accorded preference to duties over the rights. For example he said, “In Swarajya based on Ahimsa people need not know their rights, but it is necessary for them to know their duties.” [Harijan, March 25, 1939] On another occasion he wrote, “Rights accrue automatically to him who duly performs his duties. In fact the right to perform one’s duties is the only right that is worth living…It covers all legitimate rights…” [Harijan, May 27, 1939]

Not only this, a few months before his passing away Gandhi went to the extent of saying, “Today capitalist and zamindar talk of their rights, the labourer on the other hand of his, the prince of his divine right to rule, the ryot of his to resist it. If all simply insist on rights and no duties, there will be utter confusion and chaos.”

Therefore, he said further, “If instead of insisting on rights everyone does his duty, there will immediately be the rule of order established among mankind. There is no such thing as the divine right of kings to rule and the humble duty of the ryots to pay respectful obedience to their masters.” [Harijan, July 6, 1947]   

From the above statements of Mahatma Gandhi it generally seems that in comparison to fundamental rights he prefers duties of people. It also becomes apparent that perhaps he is indifferent towards human rights. But, it is only a momentary perplexity. There is not the slightest want of truth in it. Gandhi was a great defender of equal liberty for all. Till his last breath he fought for social, religious, rational, political, and economic freedom of all. How was then it possible that he could ignore the question of fundamental rights of people? Moreover, when Gandhi refused to accept the authority of princes as their being divine ruler and advised people not to pay respectful obedience to them as their masters, how could he shut his eyes from people’s rights?

Similarly, Gandhi was committed to justice for all. For the establishment of justice he not only called on people time and again, but launched non-violent actions and some of them remained exemplary from the success viewpoint. Through them he introduced an adaptable and effective way to the world. How could he minimize the importance of people’s rights? He categorically spoke of social, political and economic growth and prosperity of all. He led the way to Sarvodaya through his worth mentioning ideas of decentralization of power and Trusteeship. Hence, for us it is beyond imagination that a person like Gandhi could overlook the question of fundamental rights of the people?

Undoubtedly, along with freedom and justice, Gandhi wished equal rights for all. As it is known to us, Gandhi not only accepted the importance of fundamental rights of citizens, but made the issue of people’s rights indispensable in all of his non-violent actions he carried out for the freedom of India. Prior to it in his actions in South Africa equality of rights of the people was a vital issue. Therefore, those who are of the opinion that Gandhi ever overlooked human rights, or he preferred duties over rights, are not correct.

In fact Mahatma Gandhi has his own refined, exemplary and adaptable view about people’s rights. His views regarding rights of citizens, besides proving their merit as per the standards set through various contemporary and modern concepts related to them, are connected with morality. As democracy of Gandhi’s imagination is not possible without high morality, therefore, morality occupies the central place in it. Moreover, morality develops a sense of responsibility in human beings on the strength of which they go forward to protect, respect and honour the rights of each other.

Even in democracy many times we observe great lack in protecting and honouring the rights of citizens. More care for rights of self and less for others is noticed. Consequently, state of violation of human rights emerges time and again. For, undoubtedly, democracy suffers; its way gets obstructed. Therefore, Gandhi’s view of connecting rights to duties cannot be undervalued. Rather, his ideas are important and worth consideration. They seem essential for the prosperity and success of people’s government. In this regards his statement, “…if leaving duties unperformed we run after rights, they escape us like a will-o’-the-wisp” [Yong India, January 1, 1925] is extraordinary. Instead of overlooking, it makes the state of fundamental rights precious. Moreover, if Gandhi could overlook rights of citizens, he would have never said, “[True] fruit [in life] is the [achievement of] right.”

Hence, without a doubt, in democracy of Gandhi’s imagination fundamental rights are as important as freedom and justice. Besides, his views regarding rights of citizens in democracy are worthy of consideration for subject specialist and those in the government. In their refined form they are also more or less capable in guiding those who are concerned of human rights.

Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut and Dr. Kiran Lata Dangwal is a Faculty at the Department of Education, University of Lucknow, India. 

Education and Responsibility of Teachers’ Community–Dr. Ravindra Kumar

Education is a process to play the vital role in man’s life without compromising to the basic spirit in its root. It is simultaneously a process of making the prevailing circumstances conducive to pave the way for the development in real sense. As per the demand, dynamism and refinement are its foremost features and in the absence of which neither it becomes meaningful nor it can be fruitful. Each and everyone associated with the process of education at any level, the community of teachers in particular, must realize this fact. It is due to the indifference to this reality, knowingly or unknowingly, the standard of education is declining day-by-day. Moreover due to the lack of owing responsibility by the community of teachers and giving priority to their own self-interests, education is continuously abstaining from its real aim. It is a matter of great concern. Along with this, increasing commercialization of education has resulted in poor quality of education, and further not taking any concrete step to check it from the government side and also no unyielding efforts for improvement from the community of teachers, make the situation more serious. In such a state a ray of hope can be those who are associated with the education process, especially the community of teachers. It is high time now that teachers realize their responsibility towards the humanity. There is no other way out but to improve and reform the process of education to make it more creditable and welfaristic in current perspective.                      

Teacher Education for Peace & Harmony: A Gandhian Perspective - Dr. Ravindra Kumar

Introduction: It is needless to mention about the role and importance of education in the life of man. Education is the only means for the all-round development of humans. The pathway to human development and prosperity in an inevitable state of peace and harmony follows the lanes of education with the condition that its direction should be right and founded on values. Reformers, thinkers and philosophers of repute, who were also the great teachers in their respective times, guided humanity in the right path. Most of them on the basis of their thoughts and experiences gave exemplary suggestions to make education a prime focus and significance of them cannot be diminished even today. This chain of thought emphasizes desire of Mahatma Gandhi –a great guru, for the complete physical and mental development of man through value education imparted by well trained teachers for his self-reliance, which could pave the way for his true development even in current perspective by ascertaining peace and harmony in society. In this regard a substantial and worthy analysis, which could as a concrete guideline seem adaptable, is required; however, prior to this, familiarity with the meaning and purpose of education is necessary. Moreover, knowing the role and contribution of education in man’s life from Gandhian viewpoint is indispensable.        

Education: The English word education is derived from the Latin word Educare, which further relates to Educere, and is the symbolic of manifestation or expression. This definition reveals the inner capability of man that guides him continuously at various levels. The whole process, which leaves an impact upon the mind, character and physical strength, plays a vital role in human development. It accords continuity to intellect, knowledge and values, which provides the base and scope to education.

If we analyze education from the Indian viewpoint, education [Shiksha] is one of the six Vedangas. [the six auxiliary disciplines traditionally associated with the study and understanding of the Vedas –Shiksha , Kalpa –ritual, Vyakarna –grammar , Nirukta –etymology , Chandas –meter  and Jyotisha –astronomy]. Clarity of understanding and systematic method or the orders, which are the basics for the all-round development of one’s personality, are within its domain. Hence, the educational process is fully dedicated to continuity; it is for growth or for accumulation; it is the means to lead a human being on the pathway to prosperity in prevailing circumstances on the basis of knowledge and accomplishments.

Categorically, education is the sole basis of achieving one’s purpose in life. The importance of education in man’s life as has been said already cannot be described in words. The essence of all the ancient scriptures, messages of scholars and thinkers of repute have always emphatically expounded the significance of education in human life. Enlightening people of the importance of education in all walks of life, and in particular, its role in making life prosperous under the prevailing circumstances they have examined the implications in the absence of true education. In this regard the following Shloka from an oldest Hindu scripture is worth quoting here:

 “Mata Shatru Pita Vairi Yen Balo Na Pathitah, Na Shobhate Sabha Madhye Hans Madhye Vako Yatha” Meaning thereby: The parent who does not facilitate and guide their child for studies is like the greatest enemy of the child. The presence of an uneducated person in the company of educated people is like a goose in the company of swans. Hence, the utility, significance and importance of education are inevitable at all levels in all walks of life. It develops into the most beautiful and valuable ornament of human life.

Peace and Harmony: The use of popular English word peace can be found in words like Pax [Vulgate], Eirene [Greek] and Shalom [Hebrew]. Besides wishing harmony [a word derived from harmonia of Greek to denote a state of accord, concord, friendliness and unity] in day-to-day human practices at individual and social levels, the urge for a situation free from conflicts and struggles is desired here. Generally, a situation free from tension, struggle, dispute or conflict, particularly in socio-economic spheres, is considered the state of peace in this context. This phenomenon signifies the absence of fight or war between or among the nations and is generally the accepted notion of peace at the international level. It is almost the same in the Indian perspective. Popular Hindi words, which are derived from Samskrit, such as Vishram, Nivriti, Nistabdha and Ananda are used to describe a state of peace.

Despite this similarity between the Western and Indian perspectives, peace is not a motionless state even according to ancient philosophical thought. Peace is not a situation of the status quo. The state of peace provides man the pathway to progress in a tension-free atmosphere. Within a state of peace, efforts are made for healthy co-existence to extend the welfare of the people. Therefore, the state of peace is in fact dynamic. It fills people with enthusiasm and inspires them to move forward. Similarly, harmony signifying human unity, concord and agreement urges man for stepping forward to do concrete for the welfare of one and all. Hence, it is quite similar to peace; it is also dynamic and undoubtedly for the establishment of peace.

Inter-Relations: Evidently, education is the basis for the all-round development of man; it is the means of developing his personality. Moreover, it is the process that helps make one’s life purposeful. All constructive and welfaristic conditions that may be required for the purpose are also inherent in this process. Similarly, peace and harmony, both, despite being the states free from dispute, conflict and war, are also active and dynamic states in which there is a call to go forward. New benefits are expected in the states of peace and harmony. They are the pathways to progress without any fear and confusion. Therefore, it can be said that education, peace and harmony are linked with each-other; they contribute to the development and welfare of each and every human being on this planet.

Role of Teacher: About the role of a teacher in imparting education and through it in all-round-development of personality is well evident. We are all well aware of the truth, how the great teachers –Acharyas and Gurus in Indian terms, creating an atmosphere of harmony among people and in the state of peace contributed to the larger welfare of society and the nation. The examples of Gautama Buddha, Vardhamana Mahavira, Socrates, Kung Futsi [Confucius], Chanakya, Plato, Shankaracharaya, Paramahansa Ramakrishna and so many others who were the Gurus, Acharyas and teacher par excellence are before us. I think there is no need to mention anything more in this regard except quoting the following statement of Mahatma Gandhi:

“A teacher is not only the nuclei of the education system, but is also the backbone of the system and the success or failure of this system depends to a large extent on the community of teachers. A teacher, if works with sincerity, honesty and a sense of duty, raises students to their all-round development on the one hand and contribute unprecedentedly to harmony and peace in society and the nation on the other.”

             Further, as Mahatma Gandhi has rightly pointed out, education is an unending exercise [filled with devotion-Sadhana]* till death. Only education can act as a means to a successful life. Likewise, “education can help, mould and shape the human body, mind and character in such a manner that they may act as the means to achieve joy and efficiency.” [Ravindra Kumar, 1999, Essays on Gandhism and Peace, Meerut, India, page 10]     

Categorically, education as expounded through Gandhi’s imagination and explanation is a means to guide and lead a human-being from his birth to death. It helps man achieve his goal. The goal however, according to many philosophies including the Vedic-Hindu, could be the attainment of the Mukti or Moksha, or Nirvana [liberation] that it is considered as the highest stage of peace. Furthermore, the imagination and explanation of Mahatma Gandhi about education could be better comprehended by the following statement of Kishorelal Mashruwala –a Gandhian scholar and thinker, “[This] works for the all-round growth of man right from the beginning till the end. Its ultimate aim is to turn human knowledge into his ability. It is for the purpose of making his life worthy and meaningful, and it is not only for earning his livelihood.” [Ravindra Kumar, 1999, Essays on Gandhism and Peace, Meerut, India, page 10]    

Mahatma Gandhi wrote many articles on education from time-to-time. On several occasions, besides addressing students and teachers, he issued worthy statements regarding its meaning, purpose and importance in life. We can draw the following viewpoint particularly for the purpose of this presentation:

1. The prime aim of education is to make a man self-dependent;

2. The purpose of education is to make the one efficient and skilful; and

3. The objective of education is to guide and lead him to the pathway to progress in the prevailing situation of space and as per the demand of time so that he could ascertain his physical and mental development to achieve a goal in life for himself on the one hand and he could equally contribute to the society, nation and the globe on the other.

For this, considering the role of a teacher to be the most important Mahatma Gandhi laid great stress on the following four points, which are undoubtedly guidelines to make education true and worthy for students, and simultaneously as a means of bringing harmony and peace in society, nation and the world:

1.      A teacher after his own well preparation must prepare a student right from his childhood to his whole development from moral to metaphysical to pave the way to all-round growth;         

2.      The basic [Buniyadi] education, which is indeed an important part of the fourfold education system of the Gandhian view, necessary for all-round development of personality, be based on demand of time and space. Side-by-side, the available resources in the country be in the centre of any of the plans made for. Moreover, in a country like India villages be the nuclei, the welfare and prosperity of rural people be on priority;

3.      The scope of education must be all-inclusive –women and girls, be, without any discrimination the indispensable part of education system. Their self-sufficiency for discharging duties in proper manner and certainty of their inevitable contribution in bringing harmony and peace is possible only through their being a part and parcel of education system; and

4.      The system of education besides working for the well-being at local-regional and national levels must with the sole spirit of cooperation and harmony go forward to the global level. These are the days of globalizations. No nation of the world can think today of its being aloof from any of the events, big or small, that takes place in any part of the world. Interdependence has increased to a degree that no one of us can think of being unaffected of any of the events...Therefore, harmony and peace through education is possible if the community of teachers accepting the reality of Vasudhaiv Kutumabam [global family] step forward and work for transformation of this into a reality.

Hence, the Gandhian concept of education, view pertaining to the role of teachers for peace and harmony in particular, is important and worth consideration. For self-dependency of man that is the vital for harmony and peace at all levels and in all walks of life, Gandhi’s suggestions are significant with their due modification in prevailing situations of space and demand of time.

______________________________________________________________________________

*For, he used the words ‘Akhand Sadhana’. Particularly, the word Sadhana has a broad and deep meaning; besides being important in human life, it is a well-known concept in Indian philosophy. Saadhana, in fact, is also the way or a means of accomplishing something through spiritual practice, which includes not only a variety of disciplines of the Vedic-Hindu tradition, also the Jain, Buddhist and Sikh traditions followed in order to achieve certain spiritual objectives, or ultimately the Moksha or Nirvana  [salvation], the goal of human life.  

[This piece is the text of Dr. Ravindra Kumar’s keynote address at a three days international seminar organized by IASE University of Sardarshahar, Rajasthan, India at Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samitee, New Delhi on February 11-13, 2012]

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